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(NoiModelJ 3 SheetsSheet 1.

v W. MASON. BOX MAGAZINE AND CARRIER FOR MAGAZINE GUNS.

No. 548,003. Patented Oct. 15, 1895;

AN DREW EGIMIAM. PHUYO'UI'IIQWASNI N GTDII. DVD.

3 Sheets.Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

w MASON BOX MAGAZINE AND CARRIE-R FOR MAGAZINE GUNS. No. 548,003.

Patented Oct. 15, 1895.

W WWW J M.PNUTOWD.WASNINGTDN.D.C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. W MASON BOX MAGAZINE AND GARRIBB. FOR MAGAZINE GUNS.

Patented Oct. 15, 1895.

NrTED STATES PATENT Fries.

WILLIAM MASON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WIN- CHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BOX-MAGAZINE AND CARRIER FOR MAGAZINE-GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,003, dated October 15, 1895.

Application filed March 15, 1895- Serial No. 541,882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MASON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Breech-Loading Box-Magazine Firearms; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be'a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a broken view, in side elevation, of one form which a gun constructed in accordance with my invention may assume, the arm being shown in its closed position; Fig. 2, a sectional side view showing the arm in its open position; Fig. 3, a partial view in vertical transverse section on the line b b of Fig. 1 and designed to show the box-magazine and box-magazine housing in particular; Fig. 4:, a corresponding View on the line 0 o of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a view in side elevation of the box magazine housing; Fig. 6, a plan view thereof; Fig. 7, a view in side elevation of the magazine; Fig. 8, a rear view thereof; Fig. 9, a detached view,in side elevation, of the block or head employed to reinforce the forward end of the magazine; Fig. 10, a corresponding rear view thereof; Fig. 11, a view in side elevation of the recoil-block; Fig. 12, a view thereof in front elevation; Fig. 13, a detached plan view of the finger-lever.

My invention relates to an improvement in breech-loading box-m agazine firearms, the object being to produce a convenient, durable, and effective arm, constructed with particular reference to compactness with regard to the width of the frame.

With these ends in View my invention consists in the combination, with a breech-bolt, of a recoil-block therefor, a finger or operating lever connected with the breech-piece and operating the recoil-block, and a box-magazine being pivotally connected at its forward end with the frame of the arm andarticulated at its rear end with the lever and recoil-block.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown I employ a box-magazine housing A, the forward end of which is pivotally connected or articulated with the frame B of the 5 5 arm by means of a horizontal pin 0, while its rear end is pivotally connected or articulated with the finger or operating lever D by means of a horizontal pin 0', the projecting ends of which extend into slots D, formed opposite each other in the arms D D formed by hifurcating the inner or upper end of the fingerlever' D. At its extreme rear end the boxmagazine housing is constructed with a horizontal rib O entering a suitable transverse groove E, formed to receive it in the forward face of the lower end of the recoil-block E, which is provided upon its edges with ribs E E, which take into rearwardly-inclined grooves E E respectively formed at points opposite each other in the inner faces of the side walls of the chamber formed within the frame B to receive the action mechanism of the arm. In the closed position of the arm the upper end of this recoil-block engages with the rear end of the breech-bolt F and takes the recoil of the exploding cartridges. As herein shown, the upper end of the recoil-block is furnished with a secondary firing-pin E, which co-operates with the firing-pin carried by the breech-bolt, which may be of any approved construction, and which is connected by means of a horizontal pin F with the extreme upper ends of the arms D D of the operating or finger lever D.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the box-magazine housing A connects the operating or finger lever D with the frame of the arm and takes the place of the link or plate heretofore employed and located 90 eitherin front of or back of the recoil-block.

When'such a link is employed it forms an additional piece for the arms of the finger or operating lever to straddle, as it were, and necessitates the building of the arm additionally 5 broad to provide room for the straddling of the additional piece by the finger or operating lever; but by my box-magazine housing I avoid the use of a link and reduce the width of the frame to the minimum.

The box-magazine housing is provided, as shown, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) with two laterallyprojecting ribs A A, located at its upper edge and extending from its forward end rearward beyond its longitudinal center. These ribs effect the complete closure of the bottom of the chamber in the receiver, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and also prevent the housing from having any lateral movement. Between the rear ends of the said ribs and the rear ends of the housing A spaces A A are formed for the reception of the arms D D of the operating-lever D, the said arms extending upward through the said spaces and playing therein. The magazine A is by preference made of sheet metal and is reinforced at its forward end by means of a head or block A inserted into it and rigidly secured within the frame by means of the pin 0, upon which the forward end of the housing A swings. The rear end of the magazine A is closed by an integral plate A which forms an abutment for the heads of the cartridges. The magazine A .is also furnished with two pairs of depending fingers a and a, which extend downward sufficiently far to cover, as it were, all of the cartridges introduced into the magazine and coact in holding the cartridges in place with the carrier G, which is constructed and'arranged so that it is never depressed below the holding range of these fingers. The said carrier G is pivotally connected at its rear end with the carrier-arm G, the forward end of which is suspended from the horizontal pin C, before mentioned, while the carrier is equalized in position by a lifting-lever G the rear end of which engages with the rear end of the carrier, while the forward end of the said lifting-lever is hung, also, upon the pin 0., The limitation of the downward movement of the carrier is provided for by furnishing the carrier-arm with two stop-lugs g g, which engage with the ends of the forward face of a horizontal Web or tie g, formed in the lower portion of the block A before mentioned, the said ends of the tie being notched, as at g 9 while the upward movement of the carrier is limited by providing the lifting-lever with a stop-lug g, which engages with the rear face of the said transverse tie g, formed in the head A It will be observed by reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings that the arms a and a are virtually extended by the formation of vertical slots a a at their upper ends or bases, the said slots being formed to permit the arms to be set inward at higher points in the box magazine than would otherwise be possible. It will be seen by reference to Figs. 3 and 4. that the fingers a are set closer together than the fingers a, and this is for the reason that the fingers a embrace the ball portions and the fingers a the body portions of the cartridges. It will be observed, also,

lower end of the finger-lever is thrown downward and forward, the recoil-block will be .drawn downward and the breech-bolt thrown rearward. The box-magazine housing will also be thrown downward into the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The cartridges in the arm will then be temporarily deprived of the protection of the housing; but they are kept in place by means of the magazine, including the depending fingers thereof, and the carrier. Then when the gun is closed and thelower end of the finger-lever drawn rearward and upward the breech-bolt is shot forward, the recoil-block lifted into its closed position, in which it takes the re coil of the cartridges, and the pivotal boxmagazine housing lifted into its closed position, in which it is shown in Fig. 1 and in which it completely houses the cartridges and the action mechanism of the gun.

I have not detailed the construction of all parts of the gun, as I have deemed that unnecessary for the disclosureof my present invention, and as the construction of the gun may be extensively varied. It is apparent, also, that in carrying out my invention I may modify the construction of the box-magazine and the box-magazine housing and the various instrumentalities coacting therewith. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a breech-loading box-magazine firearm, the combination with the frame, boxmagazine and finger-lever thereof, of a boxmagazine housing shutting over the lower portion of the box-magazine when in its closed position, and having articulate connection at its forward end with the frame of the arm, and at its rear end with the fingerlever thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a breech-loading box-magazine firearm, the combination with the frame and finger-lever thereof, of a box-magazine constructed with two pairs of depending fingers, and a box-magazine housing shutting over the said fingers when in its closed position, and articulately connected atits forward end with the frame of the arm, and at its rear end with the finger-lever, a carrier located within the box magazine, and means for limiting the downward movement thereof to the holding range of the said fingers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

WILLIAM MASON.

IIC 

